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Contractor accused of trying to ship docs to Iran

The Associated Press

Posted:
01/22/2014 04:30:00 PM CST

Updated:
01/22/2014 04:30:00 PM CST

BRIDGEPORT, Conn.—Federal prosecutors say a former defense contractor engineer has been indicted on charges of stealing proprietary information about the Air Force F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program and military jet engines that he tried to ship to Iran.

Connecticut U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly announced Tuesday that 59-year-old Mozaffar Khazawee, a former Manchester resident now living in Indianapolis, allegedly stole the material from companies where he'd worked. Prosecutors say customs inspectors found sensitive technical manuals and other documents in a November shipment to Iran that Khazaee described as household goods.

Khazawee was arrested this month at Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey en route to Tehran. A grand jury indictment returned Tuesday charges him with two counts of transporting stolen goods.

Khazaee was detained for transfer to Connecticut. It's unclear whether he has an attorney.